10 years after 9/11, a real home to honor victims

Two military aircraft escorted a New York-bound American Airlines flight from Los Angeles. Three passengers made repeated trips to the bathroom and some people thought they were using hand signals to communicate, but the men were cleared and sent on their way, said a law enforcement official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Fighter jets also shadowed a Denver-to-Detroit Frontier Airlines flight after the crew reported that two people were spending an unusual amount of time in the bathroom. The FBI said a search of the plane turned up nothing and three passengers were questioned and released.

“Due to the anniversary of Sept. 11, all precautions were taken, and any slight inconsistency was taken seriously,” said Sandra Berchtold, an FBI spokeswoman in Detroit.

Across the country and the world, 9/11 was remembered in ways big and small. In Las Vegas, firefighters and police officers ascended the 108-story Stratosphere. There were motorcycle rides in Alaska and California, a dog walk in Texas, a Beach Boys concert in Colorado.

Some Americans observed the day as a time to serve. Thousands cleaned parks, renovated community centers and gave blood. Some said they were trying to reclaim the good will that surfaced after the attacks.

“As unfortunate as it was, it seemed like it put us all back into the frame of mind that life wasn’t just about me,” said Yvette Windham, who joined 200 people to build seven new homes in a Nashville, Tenn., neighborhood.

Around the world, American flags were unfurled at the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum in Rome was lighted in solidarity. Taps sounded in Belgium and in Afghanistan.

One comment

This is a fitting memorial but remember 10 years after this tragedy, our government and men of power use 9/11 as a lightning rod for the production of Mass FEAR and control. Our Constitutional Rights are being squandered through The Patriot Act and more recently, internet censorship laws. See my visual commentary on living in this Orwellian state on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-in-society-of-fear-ten-years.html